It wasn’t until the 1990s that Indigenous-owned restaurants began to appear around Australia, generally with a mission to highlight native foods. Even then, the participation of First Nations people in Australia’s culinary culture was minimal. Pioneering Aboriginal chef, Mark Olive, was one of the few who became well-known, thanks to his television series Outback Café.  Then, in 2012, the National Indigenous Culinary Institute was founded by a group of high-profile food industry figures. It is now headed by CEO Nathan Lovett, a Yuin man from the New South Wales South Coast.

The National Indigenous Culinary Institute aims to provide training and employment for aspiring Indigenous chefs, not in specialty “bush food” restaurants but in mainstream fine diners. The Institute’s founders were chefs Neil Perry and Guillaume Brahini, restaurateur Michael McMahon, food writers Jill Dupleix and Terry Durack, and Barry McDonald, the owner of the Sydney food chain Fratelli Fresh.

Among the restaurants offering apprenticeships under the scheme are Rockpool Bar and Grill, Bistro Guillaume, Catalina, Aria, The European, Movida, The Dolphin Hotel, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar and more in Sydney and Melbourne. By 2024, there were also industry partnerships with Menulog, Breville, Star Entertainment, AIG, Mt Yengo Wines, Nestle, Cru Agency and Porkstar.

The training doesn’t focus on the use of native ingredients. However, there have been opportunities for trainees and graduates to showcase some elements of their culinary heritage. In 2016, when Danish super chef Rene Redzepi brought his Noma restaurant to Sydney for 10 weeks, he employed three of the Institute’s students, giving them the opportunity to work with local ingredients rarely used in top restaurants.

Then, in 2019, four Institute alumni travelled to Ireland under the guidance of Neil Perry for the festival “A Taste of West Cork”. Their menu included roasted scallops and oysters with finger lime, pepper-crusted wallaby with macadamia and native mash and lemon myrtle panna cotta with chilled native fruit soup.

As well as focusing on skills development, the National Indigenous Culinary Institute provides financial assistance and counselling to support students who are often far from their own family and country and adjusting to city life.